JJB staff tell of past attacks

Former staff at a sports shop where a manager was stabbed to death say it has seen a string of attacks because of a lack of security.

Carlton Maxwell-Clarke was killed at JJB Sports last week by two masked robbers who made off with £4,000 after attacking him with a 12in knife and a gun. After the attack his widow admitted he had expressed concerns at lack of security and the absence of CCTV. Former staff also revealed a number of violent incidents. Living in fear of attacks, they claimed to have made repeated complaints to management about security at the Beckton branch in east London.

James Cook, 20, who worked at the shop for more than two years, was attacked by a man with a knife and a gunman in separate incidents at the shop.

Mr Cook, from Manor Park, said: "What happened to Carlton should never have happened. We feel if management had listened to us this would not have happened."

On one occasion Mr Cook was told to chase a suspected pickpocket and was threatened with a knife.

Mr Cook, a former shop assistant who left six months ago, said: "Male staff had to chase people suspected of stealing, even though we're not trained to do this.

"I ran out of the store and as I was chasing this guy, he stopped and held a knife to my throat. I was not going to risk my life for my job."

After the suspect fled and he escaped unharmed, police were called to investigate. A few days later, Mr Cook, then 19, was forced again to chase suspected shoplifters.

Although staff moved to a larger building opposite their former premises last summer they claimed there were no security cameras. Two security staff have guarded the shop's entrance throughout the day since the gun attack. But staff say they still feel unsafe at the shop.

One former female colleague said: "There is no security lighting outside. There are incidents every day. You do not feel safe working there."

JJB Sports, which is offering a £60,000 reward for information in connection with the murder, has said it was the "worst incident" in the company's history. But for former employees it was "inevitable".

Mr Cook added: "The nearest CCTV cameras that work are about 150 yards away which is no good at all."

Anyone with information should contact the incident room at Hendon on 020 83581336 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.